A/N: I know it's a bit weird for some of you to imagine Jack as the yellow ranger...but just deal with it. lol. Anyway, I'm loving the feedback I'm getting from all the reviewers...so thanks again for reading and letting me know what you think! This story...I guess is half way done. lol. Not sure at this point where I want to go with this story or how to end it so I'm making it up along the way. I was suffering a bit from a writer's block and so I decided to add a twist and have Z as the red ranger. That just creates more drama and definitely more to write about!

Anyway this chapter focuses on Sky's reaction towards Z as the red ranger...and you'll see them interacting a bit! I got the title "My Eyes Burn" from a song by a really cool band called Matchbook Romance. It's a pretty cool song that I added in this chapter just to further the emotion which relates to alot of what Sky and Z are going through at the moment.


Chapter 13

"My Eyes Burn"

My eyes burn from these tears

You'd think I'd learn over these years

Good things won't last forever

Jack, Bridge, Z, and Syd arrived safely to the academy once they successfully defeated the Krybots and one of Grumm's evil monsters. As they entered the control center, Jack and Z could not get over the ultimate rush as they continue to talk about their experience as first time rangers. "And we get zords?" Jack says exaggeratedly as Bridge and Syd included themselves in the conversation. Commander Cruger, Kat Manx, and Sky Tate followed their glances upon their return to the academy.

"Yeah, that's pretty sweet!" Bridge adds with the addition of having new zords.

"And you, Miss red ranger." Syd turns to Z, nudging her shoulder with a smirk. "How does it feel?"

She furrowed her eyebrows, "God why is being a red ranger such a big deal anyway? I mean we're all rangers here."

"Obviously you haven't been reading the SPD handbook." A familiar voice says behind. Z turns around as she and the others follow Sky's gaze. "You're red ranger now and that means you're our leader."

So what the hell am I suppose to do

You only wanted the things I couldn't give to you

And you had it all anyway

"Wow," Jack nods his head impressively while facing Cadet Delgado with a wide grin, "you hear that, Z? You're our leader. Now that's pretty sick."

Sky narrows his eyes at the new SPD yellow ranger. "Just because you're rangers now doesn't change the fact that you've been with us for what 2 days…and we've been here for 2 years working our butts off to get where we are now."

So take take everything and leave me scrambling

Reaching for something that wasn't there in the first place

So take take everything and leave me scrambling

Reaching for something that wasn't there in the first place

"Relax, Sky. They're still new here."

He shot Bridge a nasty look. "Why are you even defending them?"

"Man, what is your problem?" Jack retorts as tension rises in the room. "You can't just talk to us like that!"

"Enough." Commander Cruger groans from his post as all eyes turn to him. The room suddenly fell silent. "You five are a team now and I expect you all to treat each other as such!" He says seriously as Jack, Sky, Bridge, Z, and Syd all exchange quick, awkward glances.

"This is not fair." They heard Sky mumbled under his breath. "Z is the red ranger?" He questions in disbelief as he could feel his temper rising at the thought of someone else taking his place that belonged to him—to him and no one else. "She's the red ranger!"

"Uh yeah, we heard you the first time." Z snaps, rolling her eyes.

"This is ridiculous." Sky ignores her and bitterly chuckles. "Commander, she's a girl."

"And what does that supposed to mean!" Syd shot back offensively with her arms folded across her chest.

Bridge darted his eyes between the two nervously as their contact becomes so intense. "Hey, I for one know that Z would make a great leader." Jack eases the tension while defending his long time best friend

Z cracks a small smile, thankful she had Jack with her. "Look, I'll do my best to lead the team. But I would really appreciate the support," she says looking directly at Sky before the rest of the team, "especially from you guys."

Tell me I'm wrong when I say

I can't expect you to spend forever with me

I live for that single moment

Jack, Bridge and Syd nodded their heads in agreement. "Of course, Z. Anything you need." She smiles and then shifts her eyes over to the currently suspended cadet, dazing off and obviously in deep thinking. "Sky?" Z softly calls out as he slowly looks up to meet her gaze.

After a small pause he pathetically shrugged his shoulders and answers, "Whatever." Sky exits the room with frustration, leaving the others completely puzzled.

"What the hell is his problem?" Jack thought angrily.

"Don't worry about him." Syd assures them. "He's always like that.

Z faces Commander Cruger. "Can I be excused?" She asked urgently in hopes to settle things with Sky.

He nods his head, "Go ahead."

"Thanks," she smiles and exits the room. Once she was on the center of an empty hallway, Z looks on both sides and finds Sky about to turn at a corner. "Sky!" Z yells out as she quickened her pace towards him. "Sky, wait up!" He stops and reluctantly turns around to meet her gaze. She stood in front of the frustrated cadet, all out of breath from sprinting down the hallway to catch him. "What's wrong with you?" She wonders out of curiosity.

He grunted. "I'm perfectly fine, Z."

"You're sure not acting like it…" He sighs while rubbing the back of his neck uneasily. Z's gaze softened. "Tell me what's bothering you."

"You," Sky responds seriously allowing Z to furrow her eyebrows in utter confusion, "and Jack. You two are a bother to me. I still don't understand why Commander picked you guys to be a part of us and I probably never will." She looks down, averting from his gaze. "And what I do not understand is why he even picked you to be the red ranger. I mean what are you trying to do to me, Z? You're taking everything I always wanted. Is this your idea of revenge?"

I take back everything I've said

You wore those words on your lips

As if they meant anything anyway

Her lips slightly parted. "Revenge?" She scoffs, feeling rather offensive by his assumption. "Sky, I would never do what you did to me. And how was I supposed to know that SPD is your life and being the red ranger is what you've always wanted? I mean whose fault was that?" She questioned as silence fell upon him. "You lied to me, Sky. And if you think I'm going to just let this opportunity go as being a part of something bigger because I took the spotlight from you and I'm supposed to feel like crap about it," she trails off staring deeply into his blue eyes, "think again because I'm not going anywhere." Their contact became intense, Sky feeling all of a sudden weakened by her presence. "So deal with it." At that very moment, Sky admired the way Z handled the situation. As much as he disapproved Commander Cruger's decision, he could already see potential in Z as his leader. She was a lot like him—stubborn, headstrong, and very outspoken. Sure, the thought troubled him but like she said, he would have to deal with it.

"I still don't agree with Commander Cruger's choice," Sky tells her honestly, "but I'll be willing to follow you as my leader."

Z nods her head as a small smile cross her face, "That's good to hear."

"But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"And I totally understand. I don't expect you to." She added sincerely. "Look, we're teammates now and we're forced to together whether we both like it or not." He looks up at her after a small pause. Z bit her lip and sighs as she continues, "I've been doing a lot of thinking about what happened between us--"

"Yeah, about that--"

"Hold on, let me finish." Z adds on. "What you did still hurts. I try to get over it, but I just couldn't. I seriously thought you were my friend—someone I could trust and confide in. But obviously I was wrong."

Sometimes I feel I could drop off the face of the earth

It seems I do more harm than good

And I don't know if it's worth me loosing sleep over this

Sky deeply sighs. "If you just let me explain--"

"Don't bother." Z half shrugged. "I let you in, Sky. I told you things that I didn't think I could tell to anyone accept for Jack. You made me believe that we were really friends. But just so we're on the same page here, we're no longer friends. We can forget we were ever friends. We're just teammates, partners, or however you want to call it, but not friends." He furrowed his eyebrows as he could feel his stomach churn in pain. "You know, I'm not just gonna stand here and cry about it. No, not anymore because I've been doing it for the past two days and I realize that I'm so much stronger than that, Sky." His eyes soften as he drew in a few nervous gulps. She laughed just thinking about it. "Funny how I thought I was actually fallin--" she broke off and sighs, "never mind." Sky searches her eyes carefully, "It doesn't matter anymore. I really don't know who you are."

So take take everything and leave me scrambling

Reaching for something that wasn't there in the first place

So take take everything and leave me scrambling

Reaching for something that wasn't there in the first place

Sky wanted desperately to say something, but it was Z's outspoken and strong personality that made him feel all of sudden inferior towards her. He learns that Z is quite a challenge and although he wanted so badly to say something in return and make her understand how he feels, it wouldn't come out for Z had a way of interrupting him and making him feel vulnerable. It's usually the cadets in the academy that are intimidated by Sky, but now he finds himself intimated with Z. He moistened his lips, trying to find the right words to say, but somehow he felt as though Z read his mind. "Listen--"

"I should start studying the SPD handbook." She cuts him off before he could even continue. 'And there she goes again,' he thought sadly after being interrupted again. This made him feel hurt and weak in the knees. He wanted her to hear him out—let her know how much he really feels about her, but fails to do so after every attempt. "I'll see you around, Sky."

Tell me I'm wrong when I say it

I can't expect you to spend forever with me

I live for that single moment

He sighs as he watches her disappear down the hallway.


While Bridge was busy working on some new technology Kat Manx has introduced to him for further studying, he was later interrupted by a knock on the door. He looks over his shoulder and finds Sky Tate kneeling against the wall with a box in hand. "I'm rooming with you again."

Bridge playfully smirks, "I'm assuming Z has your room now."

"Yup," he frowns and grunted resentfully at the thought. "You know, this really sucks." Bridge listens intently as Sky takes a seat on his bed, placing the box down on the floor. "Not only am I still crazy for Z, but she's also the red ranger. I mean…how am I supposed to deal with this? I thought I was supposed to be the red ranger." He stresses deeply on the subject. "You think Commander Cruger is doing this as my punishment? I mean why would he pick her over me?"

"He wouldn't do that, Sky. I'm sure there is some logical reason for all this."

He scoffs. "Right and you know the worst thing about it is?"

"What?"

Sky chuckles at the thought. "Z is a girl."

Bridge rolls his eyes at him. "Sky, do you ever think that maybe women can be leaders too?" The cadet wrinkles his forehead at the thought. "Maybe that's the thing. You don't realize that everyone is capable of being leaders despite their rank or gender." Bridge explains straightforwardly as Sky looks down trying to understand everything that's being said. "I know how much you want to be a leader, but just because you're not wearing the red suit it doesn't mean you can't lead by example either."

Cadet Tate sighs. Bridge did make a point, but throughout all his training years, it's difficult for Sky to even think about others leading him. He was driven to become a leader not a follower. But now that they have two new members of B-Squad, Sky will be force to make those adjustments whether he liked it or not.

"I should get the rest of my stuff."

"Here, I'll help you."

Sky weakly smiles in response and accepted the offer. "Thanks, Bridge."

The two walked out of their room. As they walk down the hallway, they were later interrupted by the new member of B-Squad, Cadet Jack Landors, who was heading towards the opposite direction. Sky groans as he makes his approach.

"Hey, Bridge." He turns to the other cadet with a disdain look on his face. "Sky," Jack says halfheartedly as the two share a heated stare down. Bridge gulps down nervously while darting his eyes between them.

"Listen, Sky…if you ever hurt Z again, I swear to God you'll regret for playing her like you did."

"Is that a threat, Jack?" Sky glares down evilly at him. "Because you know, what goes on between me and Z is really none of your business."

"When it comes to Z and the way you betrayed her trust, it becomes my business. I mean she trusted you man! How can you do that to a nice girl like Z!" Jack questions out of frustration.

"Don't ever get in my face like that again, Jack." He retorts seriously while narrowing his eyes at the cadet before him. "Next time stay out of my way." Sky abruptly brushes his shoulder as he walks past him, forcing Jack to slightly lose his balance and step back. He turns around and watches them walk off.

So take take everything and leave me scrambling

Reaching for something that wasn't there in the first place


A/N: Don't forget to review!